Storm Season
by Starlight Soul
Summary: An unseen Enemy has had a close eye on the Troopers and plans to take Arago's now empty throne. Rating may change again later.
1. Default Chapter

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Storm Season 

Prologue

The day was hot, depressingly hot. No one wanted to do anything except lay around all day. Not even Shin wanted to go swimming, the water was too hot anyway. Only Ryo was unaffected by the heat and the dark haired boy was bored. No one wanted to do anything and he was driving them crazy with his constant energy.

Seiji watched as Touma lay upside down on the couch, letting his blue hair hang out of his face for once. Seiji envied him, for once, as his own blonde mop drooped even lower into his face. On the floor, next to Mia's struggling air conditioner, Shuu let out a groan as Shin stumbled out of the kitchen only to sprawl out on the floor.

" That's it, I refuse to cook in this heat." He mumbled into the carpet.

" Why don't we go to the mall." Suggested Ryo," It's air conditioned and we can get something to eat." He hoped that they would want to go.

Touma lifted his head," I'm in, while we're out let's get a new air conditioner. This one's dead. There was only so much I could do with the duct tape.. I need to go to the bookstore too."

" We've gotta go!" cried Shuu," If we don't I'll starve."

" At least the van has good AC." Commented Shin dragging himself to his feet before offering a hand to his best friend. Once again, he startled his friends with his strength. It seemed odd to them that the second strongest of the nine armor bearers was also the smallest. Only the warrior of strength was stronger.

Without a second thought, everyone piled into Shuu's van and they cranked the to frost bite before someone put in Metallica. With Shuu driving and Shin in the passenger seat Ryo, Touma, and Seiji had the rest of the van to spread out in. The road into Toyama twisted along like a snake but they never saw another car along the way. As they got close to Toyama they passed the now completed Stormraven manor.

" Hey, look," said Touma gazing out the window," the new mansion is finished."

" Have you seen the one girl that lives there?" asked Shuu.

" No," was the unanimous reply.

" She's a real babe. She's a priestess for some Polynesian goddess. I ran into her once in the mall. It was weird, she just kept staring at me. It was like she was looking right into my soul."

Shin gave Shuu a glance before looking out the window again. He felt drawn to the small temple near the manor. Behind him, Touma also stared out at the temple. The two warriors knew that the new temple would be important to them soon but all thoughts fled as they entered the city. Once in the city traffic picked up and Shuu had to focus on watching the other cars and the road. Finally they pulled into the mall parking lot.

Once inside the mall they all relaxed as the oppressive head was defeated by the wonder of the air conditioning. Within moments, they were separating into groups and going different directions. Shuu made a beeline for the food court, Shin and Ryo went to the pet store, while Touma and Seiji went to the bookstore and crystal store. In no time at all they were all lost in their own thoughts.

*

Mariah walked respectfully behind her father, a place she rarely stayed. Next to her walked her mother, head held high, while behind them followed her very boisterous little sister. Mariah wasn't paying attention though. That morning, in temple, Gia sent her the two slave bracelets that she wore. In each one rested two tear shaped blue stones facing opposite directions. They were the same yet different. There was no explanation of what they were for and only her trust in her goddess convinced her to put them on, even if they did match her outfit.

As they passed the bookstore a trinket on one of the center booths caught her attention and she broke from etiquette to stop and look. Knowing that she would catch up, her family continued on without her. Mariah quickly bought the little carved dolphin and turned just in time to see the strange soldiers appear around her family.

*

Touma and Seiji were just walking out of the bookstore when a group of soldiers appeared out of nowhere grabbing a small family.

" Where is the priestess?" they asked the very startled family.

Touma jumped, startled, when a young woman's package hit the floor with a wooden thud. Just as he turned to look he saw strange sub-armor, much like his, appear on her. When he turned back to the scene playing out he heard the terrified reply from the family.

" What priestess? We know no priestess." Cried the woman clinging to her daughter.

Suddenly the guards pulled them apart and the leader spoke again," We don't need the family, destroy them. The priestess is here, find her when you're done."

Touma and Seiji found themselves propelled into action but it was too late to save the three lives. A mournful wail cut the air as the sub-armored girl flung herself at the soldiers. She hit them once and then it seemed as though time had stopped. Tears seemed to float from liquid brown eyes and she brought her hands together, as though she was praying. Over what seemed like a great distance they heard her tear filled voice cry out.

" Armor of Storms! Dao Gekido(wild fury)!"

Her armor seemed to emerge from her bracelets as the two toned armor formed exactly as the Trooper armors did. The armor was an exact replica of Shin, without the helmet, except where his was white her was gray blue and where his was light blue her was so dark blue that it looked almost black. In her hand she held a stylized glaive, in place of the dagger Shin carried she had an arrow shaped blade with a handle in the center. Seiji immediately identified it as an Amazon Arrow, also know as a dragons tooth.

" Murderer!" her strangely confident tone broke them from their trance as she started to spin the glaive above her head creating dark ominous clouds. The clouds grew until her voice, filled with pain, broke the silence," Gia's Fury!" She screamed releasing a torrent of wind and rain that tore the warriors, that killed her family, into disembodied shards of metal.

When it was over Touma and Seiji found that there were in full armor though neither remembered calling upon it. The crowds that had been in the mall were gone though a few people were starting to file in again. Across the hall Ryo, Shin, and Shuu also seemed dazed, as they were waking from a nightmare only to learn that it was real.

Shin was the first t move, falling to his knees and tears streaming from his eyes," We were too late."

A moment later they were all on their knees feeling as though they fought a great battle. Salty tears fell endlessly down their faces but brought no comfort. For the first time the five young warriors knew the faces of those that they couldn't protect.

The opening of a portal nearby brought the heart broken warriors back into awareness as Kayura and the Former Masho emerged.

" Troopers, we have a problem." Said Kayura before she saw the new armor," So, I was right, It has begun."

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Ramblings of an insane author ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

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Soul- Konnichi Wa Minna-San! So, what do you think? Should I continue? I have more finished but I need Reviews before I'll post more.*opens up a large barrel filled with pixi stix and pulls out a few. Which are quickly torn open and eaten* I have plans (Be prepared for mucho Shin Angst. (*Breaks into song*Be Prepared for Coup of the century, Be Prepared for sensational news. Meticulous planning, Tenacity spanning...) Sorry too much Lion King) , and I can't wait to know what you think. Anything I forgot?

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Touma- Flame if you want but remember we still have pyro boy over here.

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Ryo- What do you mean by that Little Boy Blue.

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Touma- Just say your line.

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Ryo- *Sticks his tongue out at Touma* If you do flame Just leave your E-Mail so that we can reply.

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Seiji- Hey Shin, how long do you think it will go on?

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Touma- Stay out of this Goldie Locks, just say your line!

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Seiji- Any Flame is subject to constructive criticism whether there is an E-Mail address or not.

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Shin- I bet this goes on for a while.

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Ryo- What was that Fish boy?

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Shuu- *sheepish grin*We don't really like Flamers so we like to kick their...

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Shin- Shuu!

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Shuu- I mean we don't really care what they say. 

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Soul- * wrestles with Touma over the pixi stix* If you want more just say so if not don't bother reviewing unless you have something constructive to say. Ja Ne!


	2. chapter one

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Storm Seasons

Chapter One

Mariah was stunned by what she had done but what startled her even more was her armor and the five warriors that appeared around her. She barely had time to move when the one in light blue fell to his knees.

" We were too late." He cried as the others fell to their knees crying and the full impact of what happened hit her. Tears flooded her face and she felt as though her heart would burst. She had barely begun to mourn when it felt as though the world was turning itself inside out and a woman's voice caught her attention.

" Troopers, we have a problem," she turned to see not a woman but a child," So I was right, it has begun."

Mariah let her sorrow turn to anger," Who are you and what's going on? Why did those things kill my family?"

" Please, all of your questions will be answered, come with us." Said the girl," My name is Kayura."

Mariah stood and looked at each of the warriors. She was just about to protest when the world seemed to spin before everything went black. Shin barely made it to his feet and over to her so that she didn't hit the marble floor.

" Can you carry her?" asked Rajura watching as her armor disappeared back into her bracelets.

" A fitting place for an armor." Commented Touma wiping his eyes.

" What do you mean?" asked Naaza.

Shin looked at the girls slave bracelets," her bracelets are called slave bracelets. They were used to identify female slaves."

" Horrible things, difficult to get rid of." Scowled Kayura," but hers have been altered for a warrior, probably by her goddess."

Ryo seemed to suddenly become animated again and spoke up," There's room in the van if we squeeze a little. Full armor guys. They don't know us yet and I think it would be easier if it stayed that way." He said closing his face plate.

Everyone else followed suit and Shuten placed his hat upon his head. Shin turned the girl so that her face was hidden by his armor. The nine warriors quickly left, with bowed heads. All the while they avoided or ignored the crowds outside. The only time a head was raised was to speak to an officer heading to the scene.

" What happened at the mall? The radio call said there were three dead." Asked the officer.

" We were too late." Replied Ryo through his tears.

When they finally reached the van Shin gave his seat to Kayura while he sat with Touma and the girl. Behind them Shuten, Naaza, and Seiji filled the seat while Ryo, Anubis, and Rajura squeezed together. They were just pulling out of the parking lot when the girls eyes fluttered opened.

" What happened?" She asked holding her head," Gods that wasn't a nightmare was it?" She said looking around.

" I am sorry for your loss," said Shuten from beneath his monk hat," Troopers you can not return to Nasuti's home, it's no longer safe."

" What about the Neather Realm?" asked Ryo watching her examine her sub-armor.

" Closed to us." Replied Kayura," we barely made it out of there with our lives."

" And our sanity." Added Naaza.

" How did we get into armor, we didn't call on it?" asked Touma looking at Shuten," and Why was it so hard to move, it felt as though time stopped."

" The living spirit of your armor was called away and forced to battle with a being far greater than Arago could have ever dreamed of becoming." Replied Shuten.

" What do you know about this new enemy?" asked Seiji.

Before any reply could be made, Shuu slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting someone in the road. An instant after they were stopped the windshield shattered. Shuu and Kayura flung their arms up to cover their faces and protect their eyes. Everyone piled out of the van to see what had happened but what they found was disturbing.

Nasuti floated a few feet off the ground, her red hair floating eerily around her head in a strangely demonic halo. The forest green dress she wore was a medieval European style and it glittered with what seemed to be chain mail. Her emerald eyes were dark and empty as though every trace of her personality had been wiped away.

" Don't you like my pet Troopers?" asked a very familiar voice.

" Nasuti!" cried Shuu trying to reach her as she floated back towards the strange man.

The young man was short, no older than ten. He had short black hair in a bowl cut and he had cruel dark eyes that laughed haughtily at the warriors," What's wrong Shuu don't you like her new look."

Seiji stepped forward," What have you done to her?"

" Who are you?" asked Ryo his eyes burning with an internal fire.

" I'm hurt that you don't recognize me now that I'm in my true form. Ryo, where's Byakuen? He would surely recognize his old playmate. Shuten, would it help if I wrapped myself in Kayura's Kassari Gama with Nasuti too? Or Maybe you'd like to slap me again Ryo? Naaza did you want to break my camera back then?"

" Yulli?" asked Shin finally recognizing the voice.

" I always knew that you were the smart one." Commented the kid grinning," Here's the deal Troopers, you give up your armors and never pick up another weapon again and I won't have to kill you. It's no use fighting me. I know every move, every weakness. I've spent the last three years watching you while you defeated my only rival, the weakling that he was." He laughed at the look on their faces," did you think it was coincidental that a child like me managed to find you and last through the wars without one of them killing me. Now excuse me while I search for that idiot priestess so I can kill her, like I did her family. With that completed there won't be anyone who can stand against me." He went off laughing for what seemed like ages before he stopped and turned to them," Was that too much?"

Shuu had manages to get to Nasuti," Nasuti! Please, Nasuti answer me. Come back with us while you can."

" I am contented serving my master, good sir." Replied Nasuti's empty voice.

Shuu stepped back slightly then braced himself to force her to come, as much as it would hurt him to. As gently as possible, without giving her a change to escape, he wrapped his arms around her and tried dragging her back to the van," I'm sorry that I have to do this Nasuti."

" Remove your hands good Sir lest I find reason to use the power my master has given me." Was her only reply.

" I'm sorry Nasuti, I can't let you go. I don't know what he's done to you but I promise we'll find a way to free you." Two more steps and the chain mail she wore shimmered with energy jolting the strong man into letting go long enough for Yulli to teleport her away.

" Think about my offer Troopers. You've only got one day to decide."

" We don't need one day to decide." Said Ryo looking around and gaining approving nods," We'll never give up our armor to you or anyone."

" So be it Troopers. You have signed your own death warrants." Said Yulli; fading away with Nasuti in tow.

" We've gotta get her back guys." Said Shuu wiping the scorch marks off his armor," what do you think they did to her? She didn't even recognize me."

" There was heavy magic on her." Said the girl coming out of the van," My name is Mariah Ravenstorm and you are the Trooper Warriors. I was wondering when I would get to see you. What's going on with this? He killed my family… Why?"

" It's because of your armor." Replied Kayura," Only a priestess of your bloodline may wear the armor of storms. Like our armors it is both gift and curse. If he were to wipe out your family the armor would be lost until another priestess found it's resting place and donned the armor herself, which took Arago four hundred years to do. From what little I know about your armor I believe it to be one of the strongest and hardest to control of the armors ever created. We can talk about this more when we find somewhere safe to stay."

" My home is only two miles away. We can stay there…" Mariah forced back tears.

Shin saw the tears that she held back and placed his hand on her shoulder," It's okay to cry."

Mariah turned her eyes to his," It's not the way of my goddess to cry for those who have lived their lives to the fullest."

" What about the little one? Had she lived her life to the fullest or were there things that you wanted her to see?" asked Kayura understanding the girls strength of spirit.

" Alaiha…" Mariah though sadly of the trip home that the two were supposed to take together," No, we were supposed to go home together to see the volcano. She was only six…"

" Let's hurry and get to the safety and the comfort of the house." Said Kayura softly and as she passed Shuten," Shuten, We must speak in private. It's about the armor of Cruelty. Tell Shin and Touma that I must speak with them as well."

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Ramblings of an insane author ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ 

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Soul- *hiding under Yoda-ish robes* Hmmm, Frightening me thinks, no? Dangerous love is. * Jumps up and throws off robes before doing airplanes around the room* Chapter one is done but I'm not finished yet. Is it getting good yet? Should I add more? I have more all finished *nods furiously*. I do. * ties bandana around her face and sneaks up on Touma who's reading* Gotcha! Two down seven to go! * pulls out a roll of duct tape and quickly wraps up the blue haired warrior before opening the closet and setting him inside next to Shin*

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Shin- *holds up sign* Help! Take away her Pixi Stix.

Soul- * Shuts door and continues to airplane around the room leaving a trail of pixi stix wrappers* *singing* Seiji, Seiji-doo Where are you? 

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Byakuen- *holding sign* Leave a Review. Ja Ne


	3. Chapter two

Disclaimer- I don't own Ronin Warriors, nor do I claim to. 

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Storm Seasons

Chapter Two

" Alaiha…" Mariah though sadly of the trip home that the two were supposed to take together," No, we were supposed to go home together to see the volcano. She was only six…"

" Let's hurry and get to the safety and the comfort of the house." Said Kayura softly and as she passed Shuten," Shuten, We must speak in private. It's about the armor of Cruelty. Tell Shin and Touma that I must speak with them as well."

Mariah turned back to Shin," I'm sorry that I snapped at you."

" It's okay, I understand. I'm Shin and this is Touma."

" Well, Shin and Touma can one of you tell me how to get out of this stuff?" She said referring to her sub-armor.

" Concentrate on it returning to the place it came from." Said Touma climbing into the van to sit near the window.

" Thank you." Said Mariah climbing in and sitting next to him.

As soon as everyone was loaded into the van they made their way to the Ravenstorm mansion. As soon as they reached the gate Mariah climbed to the front and let the guard know that they were with her.

" Where are your parents Miss?" asked the guard.

" They went to the mall while I went with my new friends." Explained Mariah quickly," We decided to come back here because it's so hot out."

" Yes miss, I'll send word to the house for lemon-aid for everyone."

" Thank you, tell them there are eleven of us." Said Mariah before turning to the others," Let's go, we can get your windshield fixed and put gas in it here." When they pulled up to the front a man came and took the Keys," A bird hit our window, we need it fixed and gas put in the tank."

" You're almost as good as Touma at lying." Commented Seiji once he was out of earshot.

" It's necessary when you're life is always under a microscope." Replied Melissa leading them into the reception hall," I still don't exactly know where everything is, this place is so big. Daddy put too much into it."

" How many rooms are there?" asked Seiji.

" Thirteen bedrooms, ten bathrooms, reception hall, two dinning rooms, kitchen, walk in pantry, ball room, gym, two rec rooms, a pool, two hot tubs, a natural hot tub, and the observatory is on top." Breathed Mariah.

" Not too big." Said Seiji softly.

" It's a lot bigger than the three bedroom house I was used to before." Mariah looked sad for a moment," We can talk up stairs in the rec room without worrying about anyone bothering us." She said beginning to climb up the stairs.

" How long have you been living here?" asked Touma.

" About three weeks." Said Mariah softly," We moved here from Hawaii and lived out of a hotel until they finished it a week ago."

" It's beautiful." Commented Shin.

While they walked up the large staircase Shuten and Kayura fell back to whisper softly among themselves. The Warrioress was having trouble with the armor of cruelty that only it's former owner could handle.

" What is so important Lady that the others can not know?" asked Shuten softly.

" It is about the armor. Since your resurrection the armor has refused me more and more. I could not call upon it earlier. Three times it refused me before it came." Said Kayura," What if it refuses for a battle. It sings for you and you must take it, I am better suited to my starlight Swords."

" You are better suited to the ancients whose bloodline you were born to." Replied Shuten sympathetically," We will call everyone together to perform the ceremony tonight."

" Thank you Shuten." Replied Kayura with a bow.

" Don't get lost guys this place is a maze." Called Mariah from the top of the stairs.

" Don't worry, We're used to a castle far larger than this." Replied Shuten.

When they reached the top of the steps they were startled to find a large sitting room with carved iron wood decorating the entire room. A large table was carved in the center of the room, the center leg was three jumping dolphins holding up the glass top and each corner was held up by a single jumping dolphin. Windows lined the back wall and the wall behind the stairs was a huge salt water fish tank. The carpeting was sea foam green and the walls an even lighter shade of the same sea foam. The iron wood finish of the room had sea shells carved into it. On the ceiling, barely visible, the constellations had been painted too look like the sky. The Troopers stood in awe of the room, the likes of which not even Seiji had seen.

" This is my favorite room." Said Mariah sitting in a huge cushy arm chair," This is the best place to sit and read."

" This room is great." Murmured Shin.

" You're never going to get him out of here now Mariah." Laughed Shuu," Shin's addicted to the ocean."

" Only as much as you are addicted to food." Replied Shin taking a seat.

" Alright, we're all here now." Said Mariah," Can we get some answers?"

" Yes," replied Kayura," As you know we are the Trooper Warriors. Bearers of mystical armor created to defend the world from the evils that may come to destroy it. Twice now the world has come under attack from the Neather realm and a group called the Evil Dynasty. Of the ten of us five fought for the wrong side, our minds and hearts clouded by the words and magics of Arago." As Kayura spoke the four warlords stared at her and when she said their names they stood," Shuten was the leader bearing the armor of Cruelty that I now where, Next was Anubis bearer of the armor of Corruption, Rajura with the armor of Illusion, and Naaza with the armor of Venom."

" Why do you have the armor now?" asked Mariah.

" During the first war with Arago I switched sides. I realized that I owed no one my loyalty and that what we were doing was wrong. At that time the ancient one was still alive and he helped me but when he died I took his place, giving my loyalty to protecting the innocent."

During the second war with Arago I was his general while possessed by the Demon Baddamon. I killed Shuten when he tried to free me and gained my freedom with his death. The armor he gave to me." Said Kayura softly.

" Kayura is the last of the Ancient one's line and resurrected me. Now the armor wishes Kayura to take her rightful place as last of her line and protect life itself. Tonight we must perform the ceremony to trade the armor and the staff." Said Shuten sitting and giving the floor over to Ryo.

" We met, at the beginning of the first war with Arago, knowing nothing about our armors. They were given to us not long before our first battle. I am Ryo bearer of the armor of Rekka," Said Ryo before introducing the others who stood as they were named," Touma bearer of the armor of Tenku, Seiji bearer of the armor of Korrin, Shin bearer of the armor of Suiko, and Shuu bearer of the armor of Kongo. Together we stood against Arago and the Former Masho, never knowing if we could win or if we would survive the next battle."

" The woman we saw today was Nasuti." Said Shuu," She taught us everything she knew about our armors and took care of a little boy who lost his family to Arago. She also helped us learn to work together."

Touma started next," that little boy that attacked us today, and ordered the death of your family was the same little boy. He was playing us just so that he could learn everything about us, and our armors, and we never knew."

Shin got up and walked over to the window," He knew that if he attacked the soul of our armor it would effect us…. He did it on purpose, knowing that we couldn't save your family while the soul of our armors was away. We tried to get to them, but we were too late. We couldn't stop them, couldn't save them…" Shin grew silent and kept his back turned to the group to keep his tears away from them.

" Then there was nothing you could do." Said Mariah fighting to control her own tears," What do you know about my armor?"

All eyes turned to Kayura and Shuten," The ancient texts say that the keeper of the earth created an armor based off the original nine armors. It was known as the armor of storms and sent to a priestess on a small island in the ocean, to be passed from one generation to the next. It is the only armor keyed to be used only by a woman. It has not one but two elements, Wind and Water. It's virtue being the wild fury of the storm. That is all that we know."

" It looks much like Shin's armor." Said Ryo softly," The main differences are in the weaponry and color."

" It's colored like the sea during a storm. The water is gray blue and the clouds get so blue that they look black."

" Miss Ravenstorm…" called a voice from as the person climbed the stairs.

" Yes, Molly, what is it?" called Mariah as the woman appeared with two police officers.

" There are two officers to see you Miss."

" Thank you Molly please bring them up." Replied Mariah as her heart sank to the floor.

The officers who came up were both women with sad brown eyes, the first on had short dark hair and the second wore hers in a braid," Miss Ravenstorm."

" Yes, that's me." Replied Mariah," What is wrong why are you here."

" Miss Ravenstorm I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news but there was an attack on your family today in the mall."

" where is my family? Are they all right?" asked Mariah going pale.

" I'm sorry Miss. There were no survivors." Said the officer.

Mariah sank to her knees and let the first of her tears streak down her face.

" Miss is there somewhere you can go family that you can live with?" asked the second officer.

" By right of my trade I am my own guardian," choked Mariah.

" Is there anyone who will stay with you Miss?"

" We'll stay with her." Said Shuten using his Monk robes to their advantage," We will take care of her."

" Thank you sir." Said the first officer," We'll see ourselves out."

Mariah continued to cry as the officers left but when they were gone she found that she couldn't make the tears stop flowing down her cheeks. No one minded though. Her tears were important and they knew she needed to express them. When the tears finally stopped Mariah excused herself for a moment and when she returned had washed her face.

" I'm sorry about that." She said blushing.

" Don't worry, you should cry, it will make you feel a lot better." Said Ryo softly.

" You said earlier that you can't go home, so stay here. It's all opened, no one else could afford to buy this place and I couldn't bear to rent it out." Said Mariah softly," Come on I'll give you a tour starting from the top."

As they walked up the next two flights of stairs Touma and Shin fell back to talk to Kayura who told them to meet her later in Touma's room. Mariah, in her tour, took them first to the top of the house where she showed them the a gym filled with all sorts of weapons, there were two area's for sparing and a single bathroom. On the next floor down there was a huge pool, two hot tubs and a natural hot spring. The second floor, where they had the meeting, there were only bedrooms and bathrooms with the Rec room. On the first floor she took them through the reception hall and the ball room, then into a formal dining room, and through the kitchen. She stopped to show Shin the huge pantry before taking them back into the kitchen to go through the dining room and past a coat closet back into the reception hall where they entered the courtyard. It was in the courtyard that she had the hardest time.

" This was my mothers favorite place." Explained Mariah touching one of the large orange flowers growing there. She wiped a tear from her eye," Why don't we go decide on rooms for you. I hope you don't mind but you'll have to share one bathroom between two of you."

" We're used to that arrangement." Said Shuu.

She led the way up the stairs, staying fairly quiet all the way. When they got to the second floor the doors to all but three rooms were opened and everyone was allowed to choose between the extravagant rooms. Shin was the first to choose when they found a room with fish tanks built into one wall and an ocean theme. Shuu chose the room next to his with mountains at sunset painted on the walls. Ryo chose a room with a jungle painted on the walls and shelves filled with jungle animals. Kayura took the room with a bathroom across from Mariah. On the walls there was a beautiful pond with Koi swimming around and a crane standing guard. Shuten chose a room with a forest filled with the colors of fall and wolves reclining near a cliff. Across from his room was Ryo's. Seiji and Touma chose rooms across from one another, Seiji's with a thick evergreen forest and waterfall tumbling down a cliff and Touma's painted in the night sky. Rajura found a room with a snow filled land that seemed to shimmer with the winter sun while across from him Naaza found a pond painted under the light of a full moon. Anubis was the last to find his room, an ocean scene under a full moon with whales breaking the surface of the ocean. To the Troopers it seemed as though the rooms had been made just for them.

When everyone was finally settled in a room Mariah came through to make sure that everyone had everything they needed. When they were all settled, Shin and Touma made their way back to the rec room where they found Shuu staring out the window. Shuu, for all his strength and ability as a warrior, was a giant teddy bear worrying about the woman he loved and Shin knew very well who that woman was. The two of them had tried, very unsuccessfully, to keep their feelings secret to the others but Shin wasn't fooled and neither were most of the others. Shin had been the first to know though. As Shuu's best friend and resident problem solver he knew all or at least made good guesses and now he knew exactly what was bothering his best friend.

" Is he alright?" asked Mariah softly.

" He will be, when we get her back." Replied Shin softly," And maybe one day He'll forgive himself, maybe we'll all forgive ourselves one day."

Mariah caught the second meaning even as the first secured her guesses as truth," Then she is his lover, I thought so earlier."

" Lover is not the word I would use." Replied Shin softly," If there is such thing as soul mates then is Nasuti and Shuu are the best examples. Shuu would walk through a thousand hells for any one of us. He's done it for me at least once." He said whispered rubbing his wrists," For her he would do anything and go anywhere."

Mariah caught the hidden with the ease of one who has lived in it all of her life," have you known Shuu long?"

" I guess you could say we've known each other forever." Sighed Shin," Our parents were best friends and we grew up together."

" How about the others?" she asked curiously.

" Shuu I met them right before the first battle, Seiji and Touma have known each other for a while and Ryo… He's know Byakuen."

" Who?"

" Byakuen, his pet tiger." Replied Shin without really thinking about it," He'll probably come looking for us soon."

" A… a tiger!"

" Don't worry he won't hurt you unless you attack one of us." Shin calmed her," I just hope that Yulli hasn't gotten to him yet."

" He hasn't." Said Ryo walking up the stairs with the large cat in tow," I saw him out the window so I went and let him in."

Byakuen padded forward and nudged her hand. When she scratched behind his ear he started purring loudly." He's going to scare my house staff if I don't warn them but it can wait a while."

" Excuse me guys, I need to go talk to Shuu." Said Shin worrying about his friend. He approached Shuu silently and when he reached the bigger guy found that he approach had been seen," Are you okay Shuu?"

" Do you think she's okay Shin? Nasuti I mean. She didn't even recognize me earlier." Replied Shuu.

" I don't know Shuu. The old Yulli wouldn't have hurt Nasuti but this isn't the Yulli we knew." Was Shin's only answer.

" You're good at reading people Shin. What can you say about him?"

" I can read people I know Shuu and I don't know Yulli like this. It's like he's a completely different person then the one we knew, I can only make guesses, infer things from what I already know. Nothing accurate or certain." Replied Shin startled.

" Far more accurate than you think Shin. Ask the others they know what I'm talking about."

Shin felt cornered, trapped like a mouse facing a hungry cat. It had been years since he had had vision. To save his sanity he had forced his mind to shut out the visions before the first war with Arago. Too many of them had been filled with darkness that robbed him of hope, the one thing that gave them all the will to fight. Before meeting the other Troopers those very visions had robbed him of that hope and in his despair he nearly took his own life. Now, the one person who walked with him through the hell of that nightmare faced his own nightmare and Shin held the key to knowledge they didn't have. Behind the two boys, many of the others had been drawn to the exchange.

" I haven't had visions in a long time Shuu." Said Shin softly," I… After that time that you helped me, I did something to stop the visions. I don't know what I did but I'll try."

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Soul- *dragging a very taped up Seiji* More to come soon.... * begins to stuff Seiji into the closet with Touma and Shin.* I'm sad though, No one loves me enough to review. * Shuts closet door* I guess I'll have to go hunting for Someone else. *Starts digging through mallot space* I know it's in here somewhere... Ah ha! * pulls a refrigerator box out, props it up with a stick (which is attached to a long rope), and puts a cherry cheesecake under it.* Now, to sit and wait. *settles behind the couch. 


End file.
